


Creating a Champion

by a_big_world_out_there



Series: Heroism Is Never Forgotten [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Action & Romance, Adventure & Romance, Aftermath of Torture, Age of Calamity, Alive Champions (Legend of Zelda), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Awkward Crush, Canonical Character Death, Divine Beasts, Gen, Link (Legend of Zelda) Needs a Hug, Major Character Injury, Major Original Character(s), Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Link (Legend of Zelda), Not Canon Compliant, Original Character(s), Pre-Calamity Ganon, Puppy Love, Sheikah Culture, Sheikah Slate, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:28:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27554632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_big_world_out_there/pseuds/a_big_world_out_there
Summary: a prosperous kingdom teetering on the edge of destruction rests in the hands of a knight who feels the weight of the world on their shoulders and a princess with all eyes on her every move
Series: Heroism Is Never Forgotten [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2014102
Kudos: 4





	1. Odds and Ends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow so uh I don't know how many people even read BOTW fics but whatever why not. Honestly? I'm not sure where I'm gonna take this. I'm basing this off an old fic that I wrote in late 2018/early 2019 but it's so incredibly bad that I have to do something completely different even with the first chapter.

"Come on, that's not the best you can do," Linkle noted. "Stop getting lazy with your form. You're not gonna hit anything if you keep it up." She moves Link's body so their feet are parallel to the targets. 

"Oh shut up will you?" Link groans. "You know archery has never been my strong suit." They nock another arrow, taking aim at the target. 

"Don't hold your bow with your hand like that. Your knuckles should be facing out instead of towards you. It reduces tension in the shoulders," She chides, clicking her tongue. Link adjusts their hand and aims again. They let the arrow fly, narrowly missing the bullseye. 

Linkle sighed and picked up her own bow. She knocked an arrow, aimed, and fired in one swift movement. Bullseye. Link glared at her and she smirked. 

"OK, now you're just showing off." Link nocked another arrow, taking aim. They let it fly, missing the target completely. They sighed loudly, setting the bow down. "You know what? I think that's enough archery for today." 

"Aww come on, you're no fun. We've only been at it for an hour or so." Linkle pouts. 

"Well, we either take a break now or you come spar with me." Link folds their arms. 

"Fine fine spoilsport. We both know I couldn't beat you." 

The pair packed up their belongings and made their way towards the main plaza. The Royal Knight's Academy was known across Hyrule as making some of the most skilled knights throughout Hyrule's history. Link and Linkle were two of thousands of starry-eyed cadets looking to become knights. 

After joining the Academy, it became apparent that Link was destined for greatness. They were already known across the kingdom for their amazing swordsmanship, being able to beat grown men at seven years old. Linkle gained renown for being one of the best archers to come through the Academy in a long time. Together they became known as a deadly duo. In battle, they were nearly unstoppable when working together. 

"Link! Linkle!" 

They both turned. Noelle ran up behind them, wooden spears and swords slung over her shoulder. "Getting in some archery training?" 

"I wouldn't call it training. It was more... suffering," Linkle snickered. "Link wouldn't be able to hit a Bokoblin if it was two feet in front of them." Link elbowed her in the side. "OUCH HEY!" 

Noelle laughed. "I mean, I probably couldn't either." 

"You have no right to talk until you beat me sparring at least once," Link says. 

"That's not fair! You're literally the prodigy swordsman!" 

"And you're the prodigy archer." 

"Touche."

"Oh yeah! There was something Captain Mustang asked me to tell you two," Noelle said suddenly. "We're going out on a field experience tomorrow, so get packed." 

Linkle groaned. "Captain Mustang really loves his surprise field experiences. Would it kill him to give us more than a day's advance for once?"

"Apparently not," Noelle muses. "He must be pretty amused watching us run around every time he makes the announcement." 

"Don't complain you two," Link chides. "We won't have warning beforehand in real emergencies."

"Oh shut up about all that real-world nonsense," Linkle shoots back. "We're still two years away from graduating." 

Link crosses their arms. "We need to be prepared." 

The trio arrived back at the Academy. Cadets were gathered in groups around the central plaza talking and laughing. Some were carrying gear back and forth, while others were leading their horses across the square. Linkle loved how alive everything was. Unlike living in Hateno, where people always had the same routine and never did anything different, life at the Academy was always full of life and variety.

"Well, I'm off to drop this stuff off. How about we go into town and grab some pastries from Percy's bakery after we're all packed?" Linkle suggests. 

"You'd better remember your money this time." Link shoots a pointed look at the girls. "If you forget again I'm not paying." 

Linkle feigns offense. "I would _never_." 

Noelle waves her hand dismissively. "Yeah yeah got it. Just meet up by the front gates once you're all done." 

* * *

Noelle and Linkle were already waiting for Link when they finally made their way to the entrance. 

"Geeze, that took you long enough," Linkle snorted. "Did you fall asleep or something?" 

"Did you remember your money?" Link asked, quickly switching the subject. 

Linkle held up a purse that jingled with the sound of Rupees. "Yep. Let's get going." 

The trio walked and talked, savoring their downtime. In between field experiences, training, and tutoring, free moments like these were few and far between. Captain Mustang was good at keeping his cadets busy. Walking through Castle Town, people would stop and stare. The royal guard uniform did have the tendency to stick out. It consisted of a red shirt underneath a navy blue tunic emblazoned with the royal crest in yellow details. 

"Mamma look at them! Royal guards!" A little girl shouted, pointing at Linkle and Noelle. 

"Those are royal guards." The mother smiled. 

Noelle gave a smile and waved at the little girl, who was beaming. 

As they continued through the town, more people stopped to talk to them. Link always left the talking to Noelle and Linkle. They never really knew how to react when strangers started talking to them, especially when it came to compliments. It was a good thing Linkle was a social butterfly. Finally, the trio made it to Percy's bakery after being stopped by multiple people. 

"Hey, guys!" Percy waved, motioning for the group to come up to the counter. "It's nice to see you guys. How are things at the castle?" 

"Busy as usual," Linkle replied, taking out her purse. "Got anything new today?" 

Percy's green eyes gleamed with mischief. "Well, it's lucky you three came when you did. My wife happened upon something very valuable and very rare in the market today. Have any of you ever heard of monster extract?" 

"Can't say I have. What is it exactly?" Noelle asked, tipping her head. 

"It's a super-rare spice made from monster parts. Just putting a small amount in my pastries has really punched up their flavor. It also turns them purple," Percy said excitedly. "I've never used an ingredient like this, and I need some taste-testers." He turns and heads to the back, retrieving a baking pan with steaming sweet-buns. Just like Percy said, the buns were a vibrant shade of purple. 

Link stared at them in awe. They had never seen food in such a vibrant purple. They shuddered to think of the price. 

"How much?" They asked. 

Percy smiled. "Well, since this is a new recipe, I'll give you guys a discount. Let's say 50 apiece." 

"Really?" Linkle's eyes widened. "Sounds like a deal." She dug through her purse and pulled out a purple rupee. Percy handed her a steaming bun. Link and Noelle bought theirs then they all headed outside, sitting on a bench near the bakery. 

"Mmm, these are so good," Noelle said with a smile.

"Yeah, they are." Link finished off their bun. 

"Hey Link, if you don't mind me asking-" Noelle said suddenly. "-How'd you even come across the Master Sword? I mean the people chosen by the blade have always ended up becoming legendary heroes. That makes you pretty special to be going through the same stuff as the rest of us." 

Link stared at her. Linkle's brow furrowed. "It's none of your-" 

"No no, it's fine." Link shook their head. "The blade called to me. There was a voice. It led me to it." 

"Wow." Noelle had a starry-eyed look. "Has it talked to you since?" Link looked away. "Oh."

"Let's keep walking around. I heard they're trying to set up a farmer's market on the east side of town," Linkle said, standing quickly. Link and Noelle followed suit. Link gave her a grateful look, glad the subject was changed. _No problem_ , Linkle mouthed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enby Link is a headcanon near and dear to my heart and I hope ya'll don't mind me making them enby. Yes I did write this before Age of Calamity was announced so once the game is out I don't wanna hear people giving me shit about the plotlines not lining up.


	2. Monsters On the Road

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really can't call this an adaptation anymore it's so different from my old story but whatever.

"Alright Lynel cohort, gather around!" Captain Mustang called. All the yellow-ranked recruits formed a ring around the captain. "We're going to be traveling to Raru Village in the Woodland region. The people there need our help to clean up some monsters." 

The cadets rush towards the stables, gearing up their horses and putting their belongings in the saddlebags. Link hopped on the back of their horse, a chocolate-brown horse named Cin. 

"Hey girl, are you ready to go?" They hummed, patting Cin's side. They jumped on Cin's back and headed out of the stables, joining up with the rest of the cadets. Linkle trotted up behind them on her horse Azure. 

It was a short trip to the Woodland region. There wasn't a whole lot to do besides ride along and talk. 

"Link, Linkle, Noelle!" Someone calls. They all turn to face the person who called out to them. A boy with pale skin and ashen hair rides up next to Linkle on her left side. Everything about him seemed... faded from his hair to his skin to his clothes. A light splash of freckles spotted the bridge of his nose and a tattoo poked out from underneath his clothes. Besides that, the only other colors were his startlingly blue eyes and navy blue accents on his clothes. "I'm Rio." 

"Rio? I don't think we've met before," Linkle says. 

"How do you know us?" Noelle asked suspiciously. 

Rio rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, you three have quite the reputation around the Academy. Link is wielding the Master Sword after all. Linkle is one of the best-known archers in this place." 

Link stares at Rio suspiciously. They were familiar with everyone in their cohort, and Rio definitely was not part of it. "You're not in our cohort. Why are you even here?" 

"Ah, Captain Mustang invited me to come." Rio glanced around. "I've never really been outside of Castle Town or the Academy, so he thought it would do me well to see more of the kingdom." 

_He's lying_ , Linkle shot a glance at Link. 

_Yeah. I know_ , Link shot back.

_Where the hell is he from then?_

_You're asking as if I'd know?_

"Geeze, it's like you two can have whole conversations just by looking at each other," Noelle laughs. 

"Maybe we can," Linkle says mysteriously. She winks at Noelle. 

The cadets arrive at Raru Village, which could barely be considered a village it was so tiny, consisting of maybe six different houses. A small group of people had gathered at the entrance to the settlement, waiting for the arrival of the cadets. Captain Mustang dismounted and started talking with the villages, leaving the other cadets to prepare for the monster cleanup. 

"That's an odd-looking blade you've got there Rio," Link notes, motioning to the sheath on Rio's lower back. "And that's an odd place for it." 

Rio goes red. "Yeah, it's kinda unconventional." He draws the sword. It's short, slightly curved with a sharp hook at the bottom. 

"I've never seen a hook at the bottom of the blade before," Noelle mused. "What's it for?" 

"Let me show you." Rio got a mysterious gleam in his eye, leveling his sword at Noelle. She drew her sword, a knight's broadsword, and swung. Their blades clashed. Rio pushed his sword so Noelle's blade rested in the hook, quickly twisting the sword out of her hands. 

"That's pretty clever," Noelle said while retrieving her sword. 

"It is." Rio grinned, sheathing the sword. 

"That's a Sheikah design," Link said suddenly. "It's a modern take on an ancient design. There was a super-specialized blade with hooks on the end, but for them to be effective users had to study how to use that blade specifically." Rio stared at Link in shock. 

Linkle giggled. "You sure know a lot about Sheikah weapons Link." 

"How?" Rio asked. 

"Call it a hobby." Link's brow furrowed in thought. 

Captain Mustang called the Lynel cohort to gather around again. The cadets were anxious to get to work, he had spent a long time talking with the villagers. He clapped loudly to bring them all to attention. "Alright cadets, we have an interesting situation here. It seems while the Serpent cohort has been away, high-tier enemies have taken over the training camp. They have yet to come down into the settlement yet, but we should be safe rather than sorry." 

Whispers were sent throughout the cadets. Monsters taking over a populated area was almost completely unheard of. The military training camp was rarely empty, and even when it was, monsters still tended to steer clear. 

"That quickly?" Rio asked in shock. 

"Monsters have been getting more aggressive lately." Linkle folded her arms. "This can't be a good omen." 

Link fidgeted nervously, the Master Sword seemed to get heavier on their back. "It's the stirring of the Calamity." 

Mustang nodded gravely. "Indeed. Well, it is our duty to clear them out so the residents can feel safe again. With that being said, Lynel cohort, move out!" 

A cheer rose from the group as they all started making their way north to the training camp. Link, Linkle, Noelle, and Rio all stuck together with Linkle in the lead. They climbed up the hill to the camp, where an interesting sight awaited them. Black Bokoblins and Moblins had taken over all the various climbing structures. Regular and electric Lizalfos swam through the murky water. None of the cadets had seen such a variety of monsters all grouped in one place. 

"Be careful on the approach!" Link called. "Some of the structures here are made to collapse if too much weight is on it." 

Linkle pointed to the tallest structure in the center of the lake. "Look at that, there are bomb barrels up there." She drew her bow and nocked an arrow. "Does anyone have a flameblade handy?" A cadet raised her hand. Linkle lit the tip of her arrow with the flameblade and fired it at the bomb barrels. The barrels exploded, sending the two black Bokoblins on the top of the tower flying into the water, disappearing in a puff of purple smoke. The noise of the explosion alerted the rest of the monsters, who turned their attention to the cadets.

The cadets dispersed, some of them drawing bows, others drawing swords or axes. They spread out around the perimeter of the camp, some of them jumping onto platforms and engaging the Moblins on them. Linkle and Noelle started around the left side. 

"You come with me," Link said to Rio. They grabbed Rio by the wrist, dragging him onto the first platform. Link drew the Master Sword, plunging it deep into the Bokoblin's head before it even had time to react. 

"OCTOROK!" Someone screamed as a rock flew right by Noelle's head. 

"Shit!" Noelle yelped, jumping out of the way as another rock narrowly missed her. Linkle aimed and killed the Octorok with a single arrow. 

"LINK! I'm gonna try getting a higher vantage point!" Linkle shouted. "Cover me." Noelle nodded. Linkle jumped onto a different platform and started climbing up. An electric Lizalfos jumped out of the water letting out an electric shock, causing Linkle to lose her grip and fall. Noelle drew a dagger from her belt and plunged it into the Lizalfos' head before it could attack Linkle. They picked up their weapons and Linkle started climbing again. 

Rio and Link continued to jump from platform to platform, being careful to balance them. The other cadets were slowly working their way through the enemies. Suddenly another electric Lizalfos jumped out of the water, slashing at Rio with its tail. Rio cut the tip of its tail off with his blade. Link swung at his head, his sword bouncing off its horn, sending out an electric shock. The Lizalfos slashed at Link's face, barely grazing their cheek. 

Link drew the shortsword at their waist, charging the Lizalfos. It jumped back as they swung. 

"Watch out!" Linkle shouted, an arrow barely missing Rio's arm. It hit the horn of the Lizalfos again, causing another electric shock. Link dropped their shortsword, trying to quickly scramble to get the sword. It slashed, leaving a cut on Rio's cheek. Rio rushed forward and stabbed it from underneath its jaw. The Lizalfos crumbled into purple dust. 

"Nice," Link said breathlessly. They rolled over on their back, staring at the wooden platform above them. "Hear that? There's a Moblin up there. If we climb up then it'd have the advantage." 

"Hang on, I got this." Rio stood and closed his eyes, concentrating. Blue energy swirled around him. He was propelled into the air, throwing something small and sharp into the Moblin's head. Link saw the purple smoke, meaning it was dead. Rio landed with a soft thud. They looked around, making eye contact with Linkle on the other side of the lake. She looked just as shocked as they felt. 

_Did you see that?_

_I did,_ Linkle noded. 

_What was that?_ Link asked. 

_Sheikah magic._

Rio walked up to Link, extending his hand. "It looks like the others have cleared out the remaining enemies. We should head back to meet with the captain." Link accepted Rio's hand and stood, brushing off some of the dirt on his uniform. 

"Are we just not gonna address the fact that you're magic?" Link asked as the pair landed on solid ground. 

Everyone's eyes were on Rio as they rejoined the rest of the cohort. 

"So magic man-" Linkle started "-who the hell are you?" 

"I'm Rio," He said slowly. "I'm a warrior-to-be from Kakariko Village." 

Murmurs spread through the recruits. The Sheikah were mysterious people, not a whole lot was known about them by the public besides the fact that they worked in the shadows for the royal family. Kakariko Village was closed to outsiders unless given express permission to enter. Seeing one of the shadow folk in person was a shock to say the least.

"The Sheikah are magic?" Noelle asked in awe. 

"Not all of us are. Just some." Rio rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the ground. His face was beet-red. 

Link folds their arms. "So that explains why you have a Sheikah weapon. I had a theory, but I didn't want to assume anything." 

Captain Mustang claps his hands, gaining the attention of the cadets. "Well, I'm sure you all are aware, but Rio will be joining this cohort from now on." 

All at once, the cadets surrounded Rio, throwing question after question at him in a non-stop stream. When they were all satisfied with the answers, they all jumped back on their horses and started making the trip back to the academy. 

"How's it feel to be famous now?" Linkle asked. 

Rio shrugged. "You would know. I don't know if you all have realized it, but you all do have reputations around here. Especially you, Link." His expression darkened before quickly returning to neutral. "You two would do well to watch your backs. There's a lot of potential enemies around you." 

"I find that hard to believe," Linkle huffs.

"Don't listen to him, he's just trying to scare you," Noelle scoffs. 

"No, I'm serious. People are jealous of those who are seen as special. Link is as special as you get here, wielding the Master Sword. Linkle has gained a reputation of her own. I know what jealousy can do to people." Rio frowns. "All I'm saying is: be careful. Just watch your backs, OK?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case any of you were wondering since I'm kinda bad at describing things, Rio's sword is an Eightfold Blade. Link doesn't use the Master Sword in most combat situations unless absolutely necessary because it's too valuable of an asset to lose.


	3. Strange Sensation

Link woke in a cold sweat, breathing hard. They sit bolt upright, staring at the Master Sword hanging on the wall opposite them. It stares back in judgment. _You failed_ , it screams. They take a deep breath, trying to calm their pounding heart. 

"Don't look at me like that," They snap. The sword remained still, continuing its silent judgment. "Leave me alone."

It was quiet, eerily so. Late in the night, the Academy was almost always deathly silent. Link hated how different it was from the daytime. They preferred when things were alive, the low hum of activity was always sooting. They grabbed a dagger before leaving. Despite the fact that the Academy was mostly safe, they couldn't help but be more paranoid. With everyone on edge because of the Calamity, it was always better to be safe than sorry. 

Quietly, they crept into the hallway, dimly lit by oil lamps. Link wasn't sure where they were going, just that they needed to get out for a while. Floorboards creaked under their feet. They flinched every time, sure that they had woken someone up. Link walked without thinking where their feet carried them, eventually winding up outside in the main plaza. 

They stopped near the fountain, looking up and admiring the stars. 

"Pretty, aren't they?" 

Link wheeled around, pressing the dagger to the person's throat. Rio put his hands up in surrender. "Oh, it's just you." They frowned, putting the dagger back on their belt. "Don't sneak up on people." 

"Sorry." Rio rubbed his wrists.

Under the moonlight, Rio looked almost like a ghost. His pale skin almost glowed in the moonlight. Link still thought he looked unnatural. They’d never seen someone who’s that pale up and walking around. As far as they were concerned, only sick or dying people got that pale.

"What are you even doing out here?" Link asked, folding their arms. 

Rio laughed quietly. "I could ask you the same thing." 

"You tell me what you were doing and I'll tell you."

"Fine fine.." Rio takes a small frog statuette about the size of his palm out of his bag. The Sheikah eye was painted on the front in fading red paint. "I was praying to one of our guardian deities. This one is Giih, protector of warriors." He puts the statuette back into his bag. "We're supposed to pray to our deities under the open sky, be it under stars or sunshine. I'm always busy during the day, so I've started praying at night instead." Rio rested his hands behind his head. "So, what about you hero? What were you doing out here?" 

" _Don't_ call me that," They hissed. "And I just needed some fresh air. It's easier to think out here." 

A bright speck trailed across the sky. Link follows it with their eyes. "Make a wish." 

"You wish on stars?" 

Link shrugs. "Well, my mother always told me wishing on a star was like sending a prayer directly to Hylia herself. I don't know how much I believe in that, though. Still, I can't help but think about it every time I see one now." 

"That's fair. I've always had a hard time believing in the legends as well." Rio tilted his head back to gaze at the stars. "I mean what kind of goddess allows evil to ravage the land over and over? Something as powerful as the Triforce shouldn't have been created in the first place. Gannon or Gannondorf or whoever has started _wars_ for it. And then there's the problem of the hero and the princess. It just causes an unnecessary mess." 

"Something about it has to be true. I wouldn't have the Master Sword hanging on the wall in my room if it was just legend." Link laughs dryly. "I'm far from a legendary hero though."

Rio faces Link. "You're destined for it if we're to believe the old legends." 

"Well, I don't _feel_ very heroic." 

"I'm sure not all of them did at first," Rio muses. "The Hero of Twilight was just a farm boy in the beginning. Almost all of the heroes were just normal people before they went on their adventures."

Off in the distance, an owl cooed quietly. 

"Linkle tells me the exact same thing. 'It'll come eventually,' she says. 'You can't force these things.' Nothing in the past four years since I've had the stupid sword has changed. I'm still _me_ , but that's not what the kingdom needs. The kingdom needs an _actual_ hero." Link sighed, shoulders slumping. They were surprised by their own openness. Maybe it was the fact that it was late. Linkle always said that late-night conversations were always the most honest. "I don't even know why I'm telling you all of this." 

"I think I understand the feeling, in a sort of way," Rio murmurs. "People have certain... expectations of you. They have certain ideas of what you should do and who you should be. Those expectations are... hard to manage." He slowly rubs his thumb across the stomach of the frog in small circles.

"Yeah, something like that," Link replied. Rio had a far-off look in his eyes like his mind was far, far away. 

The pair remained silent for a while, gazing at the stars and listening to the chirping of the crickets and frogs. Link felt the sense of unease they initially felt start to fade away. It was unexplainable, but Link felt as if they could relax around Rio. There was just a certain aura about the Sheikah boy that was somehow calming. Rio slid the diety statuette back into his bag silently.

”Well, I think we’d better head inside. Who knows what tomorrow could bring?” Rio smiles slyly. “It was nice talking to you.”

Link stared at Rio, a strange sense of unease churned in their stomach. They still hardly knew a thing about the strange Sheikah boy. The circumstances under which he had just _appeared_ rubbed them the wrong way.

”Yeah... see you tomorrow.”

* * *

Link woke later than usual, rolling out of bed with a groan. They glanced out the window, seeing the Academy already alive and bustling. The sun was about halfway through the sky. Someone started pounding on their door outside, jolting them away from the window.

"Oi Link, are you dead or something?" Linkle calls. "Noelle and I were waiting for you all morning."

"What time is it?" 

"It's long into the afternoon you lazy bum." 

"Ugh, damn it," Link huffs. "Sorry for making you wait. I'll meet you guys by the fountain, OK?" 

"Don't make us wait too much longer," Linkle threatens. Link listens to her footsteps down echo down the mostly empty hallway. 

They sigh and quickly throw on a clean uniform before heading downstairs. Link wandered around aimlessly, taking in the low hum of the crowds. Trainees running to and forth, groups of people talking and laughing. Everything was so different from the silence of the previous night. 

"Hey!" A gruff voice calls. Link whips around to the sound. "Link!" 

"I'm sorry but do I know you?" Link asks suspiciously, folding their arms. They examine the man in front of them, two features standing out: his long silver hair pulled into a high ponytail and a scar running diagonally from his left eye to the right corner of his mouth. Link had never seen anyone like this guy around the Academy before. He looked much older than any trainee, but he didn't look like an instructor either. Yet he wore the armor or one of the knights. 

"You don't know me, but I know you," The man said simply. His voice was scratchy, almost burnt-sounding. It reminded Link of the old blacksmith who lived a few houses down from them. His throat was raw and voice broken from decades of breathing in smoke. "You're Link, the hero." 

"I'd rather you didn't refer to me by that," Link huffed. The man stood there in silence. "Do you need anything from me? I'm pretty busy so if you don't have anything else to say then I'm leaving." They turned on their heel to leave.

"The Calamity will rise," He said quietly. 

"Excuse me?" Link started to back away. 

A blast of red energy shot from the man's hand, slamming into Link faster than they could react. It felt almost like electricity buzzing through their whole body. Link felt the ground sway beneath their feet. Colored spots danced in their eyes. The last thing they saw before their vision going black was the mysterious man standing over them with a wicked smile. 

**\---**

Link groaned. Their head pounded against their skull. 

"Link? Oh, thank Hylia you're awake," Linkle breathed. She helped Link sit up, propping them against the headboard of the bed. 

They looked around, trying to get a bearing on their surroundings. They were in the infirmary. In the corner, Noelle was slumped down in a chair, fast asleep. The last of the day's sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating beams of dust in an orange glow. 

"What the hell happened?" They asked, memory fuzzy. "There was this guy, long, silver hair and-"

"-and a wicked-looking scar, right?" Linkle finished their sentence. "It was the weirdest thing Link. You were in a complete daze. That guy was basically carrying you across the plaza. Noelle and I stopped him. He dropped you and he disappeared."

Link's mind was still reeling. "Do you have any idea who that guy was? What did he want with me anyway?"

"Beats me." Linkle shrugged. "That was so weird though. I've never seen him around before. I don't know how he even got _in_ the Academy to begin with, but that's probably a sign that we need to heighten security. I'm just glad Noelle and I found you when we did and that he didn't carry you off somewhere." 

A sudden thought hit Link. Their stomach twisted just thinking about it. 

"You have an idea. Just say it." 

"It's bad." 

"Say it anyways. I'm not gonna judge you or anything." 

"Just the Sheikah have silver hair and there have been increasing reports of Yiga Clan activity so I-" 

"No, there's no way. The Sheikah are servants of the goddess and the royal family. The Yiga Clan broke off from the Sheikah thousands of years ago, before even the first Calamity," Linkle said quickly, cutting off Link's sentence. "Besides, the Sheikah aren't the only people I've seen with silver hair. I've seen some young Hylians with silver hair." 

"He used magic though. It was red and it felt like electricity in my veins," Link insisted. "I know you don't like thinking about what happened with the Yiga Clan but it's a possibility we need to consider, especially with all the talk about the second coming of the Calamity." 

The door to the infirmary creaked open, causing Linkle to jump. 

"Captain Mustang. What brings you here?" Link asked. 

"I need to take an incident report from Link. This strange man is the biggest security breach we've had in a long time. To think that he almost carried off one of our trainees is unthinkable. I have a council with the king and other captains in an hour." He took a nearby chair and sat opposite of Linkle. "So, I need you to tell me everything that happened as far as you can remember." 

Link felt like thousands of tiny needles were being driven into their head, wincing at the pain. They glanced at Linkle for help.

"Noelle, Link, and I all saw the same individual. He was about as tall as you are, maybe a little taller," Linkle said. "He had greyish-silver hair pulled up into a high ponytail and a long scar running from the top of his left eye to the right corner of his mouth. Link said that he used magic on them, some kind of red energy. It apparently felt like an electric shock." Captain Mustang nodded solemnly. "When Noelle and I found them, Link was basically as limp as a ragdoll. They couldn't hold themself up or move at all." 

"I see. This is extremely concerning." Mustang's brow is furrowed. "An artist will come along later to get your description of this man before I present this incident at our meeting." He stands to leave. "I'm glad you're otherwise unharmed, Link." 

Captain Mustang strode out, the heavy thud of his metal armor still ringing in Link's ears. Link sighed and slumped down in the bed and rolled so their back was where the captain just was. 

"You need to rest. I'll leave you be." Linkle stood and pushed the chair away. She strode over to Noelle and pinched her awake. 

"Link you're up!" Noelle exclaimed. 

"They need to rest. I'll explain everything that happened," Linkle said quickly. Noelle's face fell. 

"Come on Linkle, you're no fun." 

"Shush. Let's go. See you tomorrow Link." Linkle grabbed Noelle by the wrist and basically dragged her out of the infirmary. 

Somehow Linkle knew how to read Link better than they could sometimes. As soon as the two of them left, exhaustion washed over their whole body. Link didn't fight to keep their eyes open and slipped into a deep sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I'm being 100% honest but if I mention any deity names that don't sound familiar then there's a good chance I'm bullshitting something. Don't go searching the wiki for a deity that I made up :P I'm lowkey disappointed that Age of Calamity isn't cannon to BOTW but I'm also pretty relieved because that makes writing this fic so much easier for me.


	4. Caution is Needed

"Have you heard?"

"It's insane."

"That's our hero?"

"I can believe it as much as you can."

"Do you think the Yiga Clan was here?"

"The Yiga Clan was inside the Academy."

"Are we safe?"

All eyes were on Link as they made their way across campus to meet with the head weapons instructor. Rumors of what happened the previous day spread quickly, rumors of a trainee who almost got kidnapped by a member of the Yiga Clan. They all knew it was Link, the useless hero who was just about carried off without a fight. Link kept their head down and hurried to get out of the spotlight. 

The training grounds were dimly lit by rows of oil lamps. Shouts and the ringing of metal echoed from inside. Link stopped when they saw a familiar figure sitting close to the doorway sharpening a short axe. 

"Mornin' Link," Noelle greeted without glancing up. "You're feeling OK?" 

Link rolled their shoulders, trying to ease the stiffness. "For the most part." 

Noelle stood and strode towards a nearby training dummy. She threw the axe hard, lodging it right in the dummy's forehead. 

"Your aim's gotten better," Link noted. 

"Linkle's been helping me." Noelle shrugged and dislodged the axe. "Her aim is spot-on with basically anything she tries, bows, axes, spears, even throwing knives." 

Something cold and sharp flew past Noelle's head and she yelped before jumping towards Link. 

"Oi! Be careful!" An annoyed voice shouted. "And for gods sake pay attention!" 

"Sorry!" Noelle called back, face red from embarrassment. "Ugh, that's like the third time this week." She pulled a short cord out of her pocket and quickly tied her dark brown hair up into a ponytail. She leveled her axe at Link's chest. "Wanna spar?" 

"Maybe later. I have to meet with Captain Gil." 

"Fine. Make it quick." Noelle flipped the axe in her hand, nearly dropping it. "Maybe I shouldn't do that, huh." There was a loud crash as a younger trainee had slammed into a weapons rack and knocked everything over. Another trainee stood over them, white as a sheet. She ran over to help the trainee up and scold them for being careless. 

Link laughed quietly and headed deeper into the training grounds. This was one of many locations stocked with weapons and equipment for the trainees to improve their weapons skills and this particular location was smaller than the others. They wove past sparring partners and dodged flying projectiles. It was a bit dangerous because they were all crammed into such a small space, especially if you were new. When Link and Linkle were new, Linkle almost got taken out by a stray spear. 

The memory made Link smile. They kinda missed it. Everything was so much simpler then. No Master Sword. No destiny. No Calamity. It was insane how much things changed in three years. Research into the old Sheikah stuff had been underway for a long time, but efforts had been doubled in the past three years. Things as they used to be were upended with the foretold return of an ancient evil. Panic swept across the kingdom. And somehow in the midst of all the insanity, Link had found the Master Sword. It was only a year ago Link had pulled the blade, maybe even less. 

Link made their way to a heavy wooden door tucked into a dark corner. 

"Ah Link, glad you could make it." Gil looked up from the papers she was reading. 

"You wanted to see me?" Link pulled a chair up to the dark wooden desk. 

Gil sat forward and set the papers down. "Yes. I wanted to talk to you about your progress with the Master Sword." Link's stomach dropped.

"I haven't made any real progress on unlocking it, if that's what you're asking," Link mumbled, keeping their eyes trained on the ground. 

"No no no, that's not what I'm concerned about. The sword's true power probably won't awaken until the Calamity comes closer to stirring. Don't worry about it." Gil waved a dismissive hand. "I believe that you will be able to wield its true power when the time is right. No, there's something else at stake here." She ducks down and starts rummaging through a drawer on the side of her desk, papers rustling and dust flying. Eventually, she emerged with an old-looking book. The spine was old and worn, the binding falling apart. She opened it and carefully flipped through the pages. 

"So, I'm sure you're aware that your life force is tied directly to the Master Sword. It's how only _you_ are able to wield the sword." Gil motions to a drawing in the book. The Master Sword was held by a hero in a blue tunic, glowing with holy light. It was sapping the life from him. "The sword can drain you very quickly if used too much, especially when it's not needed to ward away evil." 

Gil's words settled heavily over Link like a fresh blanket of snow. "Don't worry. I haven't been using the blade too much," Link assures. A chill ran down their spine. There really was no escaping from it now. Their life force was quite literally tied to that of the blade.

"Right, well I want to see you every other week starting now." Gil closed the book with a heavy thud. "I get the feeling the blade will need to come into use more and more. I want to monitor you." 

Link was taken aback by the statement. "I don't think that'll be necessary." Gil gave them a look. "...I don't have a choice do I?" 

"Nope." Gil sighed and rubbed her temples. "We're working with powers hundreds of thousands of years old. Myths and legends are coming to life right before our eyes. It's foolish to think that we'll ever be able to truly understand what's going on. Not even the royal family knows all the secrets about this world, and they're directly descended from the goddess herself. I'd rather you not risk your own safety. Do you understand?"

"I understand." 

"Good, well I won't keep you. Don't want to keep Noelle waiting do you?" 

"How did you-"

"I have my ways." 

At that, Gil ushered Link out of her office and back into the training ground where Noelle was sparring with an older trainee a few yards from the door. She ducked and weaved elegantly, dodging the swipes from the older trainee's blade. The older trainee dodged the swipe of her axe and tried to bring their blade down on her arm while she was reaching, but pulled it away quickly. The pair were at a standstill, Noelle daring them to come closer. Eventually, she grew impatient and started attacking more furiously in wide strokes, forcing the other to back up. 

Noelle made a final reach, catching the other trainee's blade in the hook of her axe and twisting it out of their hands. It flew out of their hands and clattered to the ground a few feet away.

"You've gotten a lot quicker," Link noted. Noelle wheeled to face them and wiped the sweat from her brow. 

"How long have you been watching us?" Noelle asked. 

"Eh. Not very." 

"Let's spar," Noelle said. Her eyes gleamed. "I've gotten better." 

Link drew their short sword. "You don't waste any time, huh?"

Without warning, Noelle swung her axe at Link. Time seemed to slow as they jumped back, rushing forward as Noelle's side was completely open from her huge swing. Link slammed the flat end of their blade into her side. Noelle stumbled back, almost dropping her axe but quickly regaining balance. 

"I'll never understand how you manage to move like that," She wheezes. Link swipes at her with their sword, forcing her to jump back. They continue with their short swings and jabs, keeping Noelle from fully catching her breath. 

Noelle brought her axe down in a huge motion, Link dodging. Before she even had the time to pick her axe up again, Link swept their blade under her feet, knocking her down. Her axe went flying out of her hand as she fell. Link leveled their sword at her neck. 

"Ugh," Noelle groaned. She put her hands up. "You win." 

"That's what, fifteen-zero?" Link asked, sheathing their sword. Noelle shot them a dirty look. 

"More like twenty-zero. Don't patronize me." She stood and dusted herself off. "I don't understand how you're _this good_. I don't know anyone at the Academy who's been able to beat you sparring yet." 

Link turned red. "I dunno. Should I be letting them win?" 

"Hell no! That'll ruin the triumph when I'm finally able to beat you." Noelle smirks. She retrieves her axe and slings it over her right shoulder. "Let's go grab Linkle. I have a couple of hours to waste before my next class."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is a little shorter I have midterms this week. On a different note, let's talk about Age of Calamity for a second. They really said "hey, why don't we introduce another fucking timeline split, wouldn't that be fun?" fuck we didn't need more of this shit. The game is mostly self-contained except for the next-gen champions so at least there's that. Since it's probably non-canon or at least not really connected to BOTW at least I can still follow my plans for this fic without worrying about it being canon divergent :,)


	5. Wonder

Linkle groaned with frustration and threw the spear with as much force as she could. It lodged square in the chest of the target dummy, causing the wood to splinter out. 

"Remind me not to get on your bad side." 

She whipped around at the sound of the voice. "Dammit Rio, you can't just sneak up on people. You're gonna get an arrow to the face one of these days." 

Rio put his hands up apologetically. "Sorry, sorry. You've just got great aim. I bet I could learn a few things from you." 

"Flattery will get you nowhere with me." Linkle went to retrieve her spear. She yanks on the shaft, but the head is lodged deep into the wood. She pulls harder. The dummy falls over and she yelps loudly. "Well, that's just brilliant. Amazing. Wonderful." 

"Here, I got it." Rio draws his sword, cutting the dummy clean in half with one vertical strike. Linkle stares at him in amazement. He picks up the spear and hands it back to her. 

A thought struck Linkle and her eyes light up. The memory of Rio at the military training camp flashed through her mind. "You have those weird metal star things, right?" 

"My throwing stars? Yeah, I have them." Rio tilted his head. "Do you wanna try them?" Linke nods enthusiastically. Rio reaches into a pouch at his hip and hands her a few. 

Linkle examines the throwing stars in her hand. The stars each had six points and glinted silver in the sunlight. She tested the weight of it in her hand. "They're pretty light," She mused. She gripped the star in her left hand like a pencil, pinched between her thumb and index finger. Rio watches her practice throwing the star without actually letting go. Suddenly Linkle whips around and throws the star, lodging it in the trunk of a nearby tree. Then the second and third were thrown, all lodged in the trunk in a nice row. 

"I uh... _wow_." Rio stared in amazement. Linkle dislodged the stars from the tree and started fiddling with them. "You're left-handed." 

"And you're a Sheikah." Linkle laughed dryly. "A bug is gonna fly in your mouth if you keep it hanging open like that." Rio shut his mouth. 

"No no no, don't take it the wrong way." He waved his hands frantically. "I'm just kinda surprised that's all. I've never seen someone able to pick a weapon up so quickly. You even had the correct form and I didn't even have to guide you." 

"You should see Link if you think that's impressive. They've somehow picked up every single weapon they've ever touched. It's amazing." Linkle's eyes sparkled. She frowned. "As for me? I have good aim sure, but that's about it." 

Rio folded his arms. "You're underselling yourself Linkle. That's some real skill."

The trees rustled behind them and two figures emerged from the woods. Before anyone could react, Linkle threw two of the stars at the figures. 

"HEY WHAT THE HELL?" Noelle yelped, almost dropping her axe. 

"Oh, it's just you two." Linkle heaved a heavy sigh. "Sorry!" She jogged over to Link and Noelle, Rio close behind her. 

"What in Hylia's name was that for?" Noelle asked indignantly. 

"Sorry, I've just kinda been on edge since the whole thing with that weird guy." She turned to Link. A thin trail of blood trickled down their right cheek. "Oh, sorry for cutting you." Linkle ran over to her bag and returned with patches of gauze and adhesive. 

Link batted her hand away when she tried wiping some of the blood away. "I'm _fine_. It doesn't even hurt that much." Linkle rolled her eyes. "I'm serious Linkle! I'm fine! Don't waste supplies on me." 

"It's gonna get infected," Linkle insisted. "Come on, quit being so stubborn. You said you were fine after the mess with those Bokoblins back home but were you? No. You were stuck on bedrest for THREE DAYS." 

"Come on! That was two years ago!" Link complained. "When else have I not been fine?" 

"I could list off tons of times!"

Rio and Noelle looked at each other while Link and Linkle continued to argue. The clearing had fallen unusually silent for how loud Link and Linkle had been arguing just moments earlier. It quickly became clear that yes, they were still arguing, but they were silent. Link was refusing to look at Linkle, but they were still fighting. Neither seemed to notice that they had stopped yelling at each other. 

_Let. Me. Help. You._

_Quit worrying so much! I'm not five._

_It's gonna be your fault if you get an infection on your face._

_I'm_ not _gonna get infected!_

_You will if you leave it like that. Even if you don't think it'll be infected it's not very sanitary to walk around with blood dripping down your face._

_Fine fine! Just get it over with._

Link let out a defeated sigh as Linkle started wiping up the blood on their face. She quickly dressed the wound and gave Link a smug look. 

A shudder ran down Noelle's spine. "Ugh, I kinda hate it when they do that." 

"Why?" Rio asked. "I think it's pretty cool honestly." 

"No, it's eerie. Incredibly eerie," She muttered. "I've never known anyone who can do that." 

_You look kinda cute with that patch on your cheek_. Linkle nudged Link's shoulder. They turned bright red. 

_Leave me alone,_ please _oh my gods._ Link frowned. 

"Uh hello? Link? Linkle? You wanna fill us in on what you've been talking about? Or are we just gonna sit here in silence?" Rio asked. 

"Eh? Weren't we?" Linkle tilted her head. 

"No, you were doing your weird telepathy thing." Noelle folds her arms. 

"Telepathy thing?" Linkle looks to Link for help, but they just shrug. 

"ANYWAYS," Noelle said loudly. "Link and I were gonna head into town before our next classes. Wanna come?"

A cool breeze swept through the clearing. Linkle shivered slightly. 

"Sure. Rio?" Link turned to the Sheikah boy. 

"Castle Town?" 

"Where else?" Linkle laughed. "Yeah Castle Town." 

Rio's eyes lit up. "I haven't actually gotten the chance to explore there yet."

The trio of friends looked at each other before looking back at Rio.

"I think we know just the place to start," Noelle said with a grin.

* * *

Percy's bakery was always warm. The scent of cinnamon and vanilla wafted around the interior. Rio closed his eyes, taking in the warm smell. He then examined all the perfect pastries behind the glass counter. Noelle and Linkle watched him with a hint of amusement. Rio's wonder and awe were child-like. Percy's was definitely something else.

Linkle remembered the first time she and Link had stumbled upon Percy's. The pair had been caught in the rain their first year at the Academy. and ran into the first building that was open. Percy had given them shelter without getting mad neither had enough money to buy anything. After the rain had let up they were sent on their way with warm cinnamon buns and a stern warning from his wife Annabeth to be more mindful of the weather. Going there became a tradition. Link and Linkle brought Noelle there when they first met too. 

While Linkle and Noelle were watching Rio, Link rang the bell on the counter to get Percy's attention. 

"Coming!" Percy called. He emerged from a back room carrying a bowl of blue dough. Flour covered him head-to-toe, standing out against his black hair. "Ah, Link, Linkle, Noelle. It's nice to see you. Who's your Sheikah friend?" He motioned to Rio with his free hand. 

"That's Rio," Linkle said. Rio was busy admiring the pastries. "How'd you know he's Sheikah?" 

"I've seen a lot of things in my time," He said simply. "So, what can I get you all today?" Percy sets the bowl down and dusts the flour off his hands. 

"Ooh! Do you have any of those monster extract buns?" Noelle asked. Percy nodded. "Great! I'll take two of those." 

"I'll take a cinnamon bun and two vanilla cookies," Linkle said. 

Link's eyes darted over the displays. "Those are new. Do those have monster extract in them too?" They motioned to purple cupcakes with a dark purple swirl of frosting on top. 

"You're observant as ever, eh?" Percy smiled. "Yes, this is a new recipe. Monster extract cupcakes with durian frosting. Fresh out of the oven." 

"Can I split one with you?" Linkle asked. Link noded. 

"I'll also have two pork buns," Link added. 

"And what'll it be for you?" Percy turned to Rio, causing him to jump. 

"OH! Uh... what would you recommend?" He asked. The three Hylians just shrugged. "Haha very helpful. I uh, I'll take whatever Link got."

Everyone paid individually until it came to Rio. He patted the pouch at his side and his face went red. "Crap." Linkle almost choked on her cookie. 

"I got you this time," Linkle said after she stopped coughing. She forked over the Rupees and everyone said their goodbyes. 

The group found a small park and stopped to enjoy their sweets. Link split the monster extract cupcake and split it with Linkle. She wolfed down her half of the cupcake almost immediately. Upon seeing this, Rio took a bite of his cupcake and started coughing. 

"Strong flavor?" Linkle asked, stifling a giggle. Rio nods. "I guess it is a bit of an acquired taste." 

Noelle hummed contentedly. "Do y'all have anywhere else you wanna go? I mean we have the usual farmers markets and shops, but nothing out of the ordinary. Probably the same stuff you guys have in Kakariko Village." She took a big bite of a monster extract bun. "And there's not any festivals coming up soon." 

"We could always go to the lab. They might let us in since Rio is Sheikah," Linkle suggested. 

"Are you crazy? There's no way they'd let us in," Link shot back. 

Linkle shrugged. "You never know." 

"....Ancient tech lab...?" Rio muttered under his breath. "Purah mentioned something like that to me a couple months ago-OH! Yeah, we could totally go. They'd let us in." 

"Really?" Noelle's eyes lit up. 

"Yeah. They know me, so why wouldn't they?" Rio stood and brushed crumbs off his lap. "I bet I could convince Fern to let you guys in too." 

The three Hylians looked at each other. 

"Let's do it," Linkle said. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is probably gonna be on the backburner for a while as I have a couple other projects that are taking priority right now so hopefully this longer chapter makes up for it. I appreciate anyone who's read thus far!


	6. Ancient Energy

Noelle led the group to the tech lab since she knew that side of town the best. She walked briskly, forcing Link to start jogging in order to keep up with her.

"Can you slow down? It's not like we're in a huge rush or anything," Link huffed. 

"I wanna see the lab before I have to go back to class," Noelle replied shortly. 

"Haha, sucker. I got nothing all afternoon," Linkle laughed, earning her an elbow to the side. "Ouch, it's not my fault that you decided to take on a heavier classload." 

Link stayed silent, trying to save their breath on jogging. 

The group finally arrived at the tech lab as the sun was starting to reach its arc in the sky. It was nestled at the very edge of the town, a couple of miles from the closest home or business. The building was made of the same dull grey stone as the rest of Castle Town was. It was a lot smaller than what the Hylians were expecting, remaining low to the ground, but Rio didn't seem very surprised. 

"Ah, no wonder they built it here," Rio noted. Everyone gave him confused looks. "I guess I should probably explain. There's a lot of ancient energy around here, stronger than any of our other labs. We think that the origin of all this energy is somewhere near the castle, but so far our digging hasn't brought any results."

"You can sense that kind of stuff?" Linkle asked. "All of you?" 

Rio shrugged. "For the most part. Some better than others. Most of our researchers have an aptitude for sensing it. Makes it easier to work with the stuff, ya know?" Linkle nodded while Noelle and Link looked lost. "Oh well, it doesn't really matter." 

The group approached the front of the building. Well, it looked like the front of the building at least. Instead of doors or an entryway, there was just a solid brick wall. Rio heaved a loud sigh. His right hand started to glow with blue energy and placed it against the wall. Sheikah text engraved into the wall glowed blue with the power flowing from Rio. The stones moved and shifted into an archway, the engravings still glowing blue. 

Inside, the lab was dark. Not much could be seen, though small blue lights illuminated the walls in the shape of constellations. 

"Who goes there?" Someone shouted defensively. The voice sounded shaky. Link heard something mechanical click somewhere and instinctively put a hand on Linkle's shoulder to alert her. 

"Cool it, Fern. It's just me. I brought some friends," Rio called. There was another click. A short Sheikah boy emerged from the darkness, hand on the hilt of his sword on his hip. His hair was tied up into a tight bun with red streaks running through it. A pair of big round glasses sat on the bridge of his nose. He looked at the Hylians with a questioning look. "These are my friends Link, Noelle, and Linkle. We thought we'd come by." 

Fern slowly lifted his hand from the hilt of his sword. "Hylians, huh? Welcome to the lab. My name is Fern, though I think you already knew that." He bowed quickly. "We don't normally do tours but I'm not exactly busy right now so I suppose I could show you around." 

A chill ran down Linkle's spine. The air inside the lab was a good five degrees colder. Something about the air inside seemed _off_ , somehow, though Linkle couldn't quite put her finger on it. 

Fern led the group through the dimly-lit entrance into the main hub of the lab. The research lab was unlike anything the Hylians had ever seen before. It was much bigger on the inside than it looked from the outside. Instead of the usual warm glow of oil lamps or torches, everything was bathed in harsh blue and white light. The low hum of machines filled the air. All of Link's hairs were standing up. Everything from the lighting to the noise was unnatural. Something about the lab had them on edge. 

"This is the central hub here." He swept his hands over the circular room. Researchers hurried to and from different hallways. Some were carrying a mismatch of ancient parts while others just carried stacks and stacks of books and papers. Even Rio seemed to be somewhat shocked by the magnitude of everything that was going on. "Over there leads out to the guardian lab and down that way leads to Miss Purah's Sheikah Slate lab and rune testing." Fern motioned to the two biggest arched doorways that branched off from the main room. He brushed a stray strand of hair out of his face and folded his arms. "So, where do you want to go first?" 

One thing that struck the Hylians as odd was how quiet the central hub was, despite the fact that it was bustling with activity. The usual low hum of conversation was absent.

 _Don't you get a bad feeling from this place?_ Linkle shot a glance at Link. 

_Yeah. I'm feeling it too_ , Link replied. _What do you think it is?_

 _I don't know. It feels like something bad happened recently._ She shivered and rubbed her arms, wishing she had a cloak. 

"Is something up?" Fern asked.

Link shook their head. "No, it's fine. If you don't mind me asking, why's it so quiet?" 

Fern shifted uncomfortably. "Ah, well it's not really something we'd discuss with visitors. Miss Purah asked that we don't talk about it."

Rio's eyes lit up. "Purah is here?" 

"She's normally not?" Noelle asked. She turned in circles around the room, trying to take it all in. 

"Miss Purah has been helping Robbie develop ancient weapons and countermeasures against the guardians. His lab is located all the way over near the citadel in Akkala, so she's not often here anymore." Fern pushed his glasses up his nose. "His Highness is actually visiting today for a progress check." 

"The _king_?" Noelle asked in awe. She glanced at Linkle, who looks just as starry-eyed. 

None of them had actually seen the king in person before. He normally didn't make public appearances and though the castle was open to anyone, you could only see the king by appointment only. He would make an appearance during their graduation ceremony, but that's normally the first time trainees ever see him. 

"You've met the king, haven't you Link?" Linkle asked, turning to them.

Link folded their arms. Their memory of the king was fuzzy at best. Their father had taken them to meet the king after word had spread of their swordsmanship. They mostly remembered their father yelling at them before and after. "Once. When I was really little. I can't say I remember much." They shrugged indifferently. "I mean he's just an old man. Mx. Trey and their husband up the hill from us are probably older than him." Linkle hummed in agreement. Noelle still looked peeved, however.

" _Just an old man?_ " She asked incredulously. "He's the king for Hylia's sake! You can't just say something like that about the king." 

"It's not like he's gonna care what one random citizen has to say about him," Link shot back. "Besides, my opinion on him doesn't matter when he's got a whole kingdom to run." Noelle huffed indignantly. 

Fern cleared his throat awkwardly. "So, where would you want to go first?" 

"I wanna talk to Purah," Rio said immediately.

"And I wanted to see the Guardians," Noelle countered. "Besides, you can always talk to Purah later, right? It sounds like she doesn't want people to bother her right now." 

"Come on, _please_? It won't take long I promise," Rio whined. He turned to Noelle. "Besides, we can look at the Sheikah Slate! I'd argue that little thing is more impressive than the Guardians." 

Noelle folded her arms. "Alright, fine. I've got time to kill anyways. What about you two?"

"It doesn't really matter to me." Link shrugged and Linkle nodded.

"Lead the way Fern!" Rio said proudly. 

"I'm blaming you if I get yelled at later," Fern grumbled. 

Fern led the group towards the right set of double doors and pushed them open. They swung open with a loud creak. The room inside was round, just like the entrance hub. A skylight above cast down a large beam of natural light. Particles of dust floated down slowly underneath the light. The group turned in circles, taking in the massive room. Bookshelves lined with books ran all the way up to the ceiling, some practically overflowing. A few desks covered with papers and books were scattered around the room. In between the bookshelves, more arched doorways led off in various directions.

Noelle let out an audible gasp at the sight of the huge library. "I've never seen so many books in one place!" 

"Purah!" Rio called, the sound echoing off the walls. 

A loud crash sounded from somewhere behind a big bookshelf followed by a yelp. "Who's there?" There were more sounds of things falling and someone scrambling to climb over the mess. Eventually, a disheveled-looking Sheikah woman with her hair twisted up into a high bun. A red streak ran across her front bangs and a pair of glasses perched perilously on top of her head. She was tapping away at a strange device. The blue light from the screen glowed in her eyes and bounced off her glasses. "Fern I thought I told you that I didn't want anyone to disturb me while I was doing final checks before His Highness arrives and-" 

Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Rio, quickly followed by a wide smile. "Rio! You dropped by!" She pulled him into a hug and squeezed him tightly. Rio coughed loudly and stepped back. "Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" She motioned to the group of Hylians. 

"This is Link, Linkle, and Noelle." Rio pointed to each of his friends. "They're cadets in training at the academy as well." Purah bowed quickly and smiled. 

"What's that you're holding?" Link asked, motioning to the strange device she was holding. 

"Eh? This little thing? It's just a replica of the Sheikah Slate." Purah shrugged offhandedly. Everyone looked at her, astounded. She had said it so offhandedly like it was just any other old relic. The Hylians wondered if she really grasped the full weight of how amazing it was. 

She held up the replica. An orange and blue Shekiah eye glowed on the back framed with the same constellations that were also seen on the walls of the lab. The screen glowed blue. 

"I've managed to restore some of its functions. We have a highly accurate map of the land, more accurate than anything we've been able to do by hand, and the magnesis and bomb runes," Purah explained. "It looks like there are a few more functions that have yet to be restored, but my team and I are working on it. There are a few more runes that we've yet to restore as well as a possible teleportation feature." 

Noelle stared at Linkle, who seemed rather awe-struck. Everything Purah had said went right over the heads of the other two Hylians. Link especially wondered how she was soaking everything in and how this somehow made sense to her. They found it rather charming, actually. 

"You're actually getting all of this?" Noelle asked Linkle, confusion written across her face. "I mean, whatever floats your boat but this is going waay over our heads, right Link?"

"So this is what you've been reading about lately," Link noted, causing Linkle to blush. They laughed. "Ever the bookworm you are Linkle." 

Linkle's eyes sparkled. "It's pretty fascinating actually. The Sheikah had so much technology before the kings of old buried it all. I can't imagine where we'd be as a society if they hadn't done away with it all." Purah looked satisfied with her answer. "I wonder if the king we have nowadays would've made the same decision as the king of old." 

"Right! His Highness is coming soon! I apologize, I'd love to chat more, but I really must be going." Purah bowed again and hurried quickly out of the room, footsteps echoing behind her. 

"Disheveled as always I see." Rio shook his head and sighed. "Sorry about that. I did need to tell her something, but I guess it can wait until after the king is gone." 

"When did you start looking into Sheikah technology miss?" Fern asked, turning to Linkle. He pushed his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose."I haven't known many Hylians who are interested in researching ancient tech." 

"Eh? Really? I've just been reading about it since I don't have much to do in terms of classes. Link and I are basically set until moving up to our next year," She replied. Noelle glared at her. " _What_? It's not my fault you decided to get in fights instead of going to class our first year." 

Noelle huffed and folded her arms. "Whatever. I just wanted to go see the guardians." She stuck her tongue out at Linkle. 

Link found themself feeling pretty lost. All the talk of ancient Sheikah technology had gone in one ear and right out the other. Maybe it was a good thing they were going to become a night. Reading never came easily to them. At least they weren't the only person feeling lost. 

"Oh! Miss Linkle, can I show you the rune testing chambers? We're testing the upper limits of the magnesis rune right now," Fern said excitedly. 

"Could you?" Linkle asked. Fern nodded. 

Before anyone could say anything, the pair were already, deep into the lab. Rio sighed and shook his head. "Geeze Fern..." He turned to Link and Noelle. "Personally I've never been much for all that technology stuff. I have a hard time understanding it." 

"Let's go look at the guardians! I'm running out of time before class," Noelle whined. She looked antsy. 

"I'm not sure if we should," Link said uncertainly. "I don't think we should... what if Fern gets in trouble for letting us wander?" 

Noelle waved her hand dismissively. "Ever the goody-two-shoes. Live a little! C'mon, let's just go. We can worry about that stuff later. You in Rio?" 

Rio shrugged. "I guess so." 

"Fine," Link relented. "Let's go." 


	7. A Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: description of a third-degree burn

Noelle all but ran through the hallways of the lab, a little too eager to see the guardians. She was causing a huge ruckus inside. Link felt embarrassment rising in their chest. They wanted to say that they didn't know her, but it was a little too late for that. Rio and Link followed behind her at a distance. Eventually, the group found their way to the outdoor guardian testing area. Noelle shoved open the heavy wooden doors and stepped out into the grass yard. Link shaded their eyes against the sudden shift in bright lighting and waited for their eyes to adjust. 

Guardians and various mechanical parts lay scattered around the yard. Arms and gears and cogs and wires were everywhere and the group had to be careful where they stepped. Rio, the tallest in their group, was dwarfed by the giant metal machines. The guardians themselves were intimidating enough without their size. A singular eye embedded into a head that could swivel in a full circle atop a body that could cross almost any terrain type and wasn't affected by water. 

"Are these made out of steel or something?" Noelle asked, tapping the hull of one with her hand. Despite the fact that they had been sitting out in the sun all day, the metal was still cool to the touch. The hull sounded hollow, though she knew that they were crammed full of ancient parts. "No, they're definitely not steel. They're not hollow are they?" She turned to Rio. 

Rio folded his arms. "I don't think they are. Fern told me about this a while ago... I think he said something about how all this old Sheikah tech was made from this special alloy of metals that we haven't been able to recreate accurately yet. Purah got the closest with her Sheikah Slate replica, but it was a comparatively small amount compared to the amount we'd need to build another one of those things." 

"Speak of the devil," Link said. 

"We're actually still looking into restoring more of the guardians, though it's been pretty slow going. We've lost the ability to recreate the alloy used originally to create the guardians. It's incredibly light and strong, so strong that the weapons we have now can't pierce their hulls," Fern said loudly. He and Linkle rounded the corner and spotted the other half of their group. "Oh! So you guys did find your way out here. I was just telling Linkle about how our restoration efforts are going." 

"I thought you guys would be in the lab longer," Rio noted. 

"Ah, well I was talking about how we were trying to restore full functionality to the Sheikah Slate and how it was going at the same snail's pace as our guardian restoration when Miss Linkle asked about how we were programming the guardians." Fern rubbed the back of his neck. "I said that we had to hardwire the ones that were functional manually but we did find a chip that makes us think we might be able to control them remotely. Miss Linkle suggested that the Sheikah Slate could probably be used to give commands to the guardians remotely. She's pretty brilliant with this stuff." The others could practically see the sparkle in his eyes as he talked about it. 

Something about the way Fern looked at Linkle threw Link off, though Linkle seemed completely unaware of it. Did he? Did Fern have a crush on Linkle?

"Really, it's not a huge deal," Linkle insisted. She was blushing. 

_He likes you. Do you like him?_

Linkle jumped and turned to Link. "Did you just say that out loud?" 

"Say what?" Noelle asked.

Linkle tilted her head. "Really? I could've sworn Link just said something."

 _Well, do you?_ Link raised an eyebrow. 

_No_ , _I don't like him! At least in the way I think you're suggesting._ Linkle furrowed her brow. _It's just kinda embarrassing to get all these compliments. He just won't stop. The worst part is that he's being so genuine about all of them. I don't think I've ever been complimented this genuinely before._

 _Eh? You deserve the praise._ Link smirked as Linkle blushed even more furiously. _I didn't think you'd get flustered this easily._

 _Stop it!_ Linkle hid her face in her hands and looked away from Link. Still, her ears were red. _Anyway, I can't say I get it. I just read this stuff as a side thing. He spends his time researching this stuff. Basically, everyone here is more knowledgeable than me._

"You're as red as a beet!" Rio laughed. Noelle nudged her shoulder playfully. 

"Leave me alone!" Linkle whined. 

"Everyone listen up! His Highness is here to observe one of the guardians we've restored in action. Everyone, please be prepared for an active guardian to be wandering about and be on your guard should anything go wrong!" A researcher shouted. The group looked around, confused. Fern jumped to attention and his glasses almost flew off his nose. 

"Right right right! You guys don't know about guardian protocol. When we have an active guardian things can get... _messy_ sometimes. When a guardian is active everyone either goes inside or is prepared to run or fight, though our weapons still haven't been able to pierce their hulls, so running is our best option if something goes wrong..." His voice trails off and a dark expression passes over his face. "Anyways, I'm sure you guys want to see these things in action, so I'll let you stay."

The group gathered around behind a deactivated guardian for cover. Researchers rushed to and fro, preparing for the guardian activation. 

"Where's the king even watching from?" Noelle asked. 

"Ah! He's watching from a Sheikah Slate monitor inside. Miss Purah got it set up," Fern said excitedly. "She was able to reproduce the Sheikah Slate's ability to instantly take images and connected all of those devices to the Sheikah Slate she always carries with her." 

Silence fell over the outside area as one of the guardians a few yards away blinked to life. Its eye lights up and it slowly shudders to its feet. Everyone let out a quiet gasp as the hulking machine started to slowly crawl around the yard. It shuddered again, but something was different about it. Without warning, it swung one of its metal legs and sent the researcher closest flying into the stone wall. They landed with a heavy thump and a sickening cracking noise. 

Chaos erupted in the yard. Researchers were scrambling to get away as the guardian flung its legs around, knocking people down and throwing them into the walls. Some managed to make it to the doors and they slammed shut heavily. 

"Damn it!" Fern mutters. "Get inside, now!" 

Rio has a hand on his sword. "We can't just leave everyone else out there! You said it yourself that none of us stand a real chance against those things!" 

"YOU ARE _NOT_ GOING TO PLAY THE HERO!" Fern shouts, grabbing Rio by the collar of his shirt. His expression was twisted into an unreadable mix of grief and anger. "I DID NOT WATCH JANI DIE TRYING TO BE A HERO FOR YOU TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE!" He clamps a hand over his mouth to stop himself from saying anything else. Rio's eyes widen and it's like someone took a pin and popped him. Any amount of fight that was in him seconds before disappeared. 

_So that's what happened_ , Linkle shot a glance at Link. 

_I... that's horrible..._ Link let out a quiet gasp. 

"Guys, this isn't the time to be arguing!" Noelle shouts, getting to her feet. "That thing is headed right towards us!" 

Link scans the area for anything they could use as a weapon, spotting a sheet of metal on the opposite end of the yard. 

"Oh no you don't," Linkle hissed. She grabbed Link by the wrist. "Absolutely not. You heard Fern! People have _died_ trying to stop these things." 

There was no more time to argue, however. The guardian came stalking up and with one swift motion, flung its deactivated brethren out of the way. It landed with a heavy metal thunk and tumbled away. Without any more hesitation, the group scattered around the yard. Rio, Noelle, and Linkle ended up on one side of the yard with Link and Fern on the other. A metallic sheen caught Linkle's eye and she picked up the sheet of metal Link had been eying earlier. 

"Go, get out of here!" Link shouted, shaking Fern's shoulders. The entrance was close enough that anyone could make it if they bolted, but Fern was frozen in place like he was bolted to the ground. The guardian turned and a red dot appeared in the center of Fern's chest. 

"Catch!" Linkle shouts, throwing the piece of metal across the yard. It slid and landed at Link's feet. They picked it up and pushed Fern out of the way right as a hot beam of pure energy blasted past them, barely missing Link's head.

The red dot appeared on Link's chest and they readied themself to parry the beam from the guardian, or at least they would try to. They dug their feet into the ground and tried to brace for the impact. A beep and Link's whole body tensed. Before they realized it, they were thrown backward and tumbled in the grass. They looked up slowly to watch the guardian shudder and pop before finally collapsing. Link let out a long sigh. A sharp pins and needles feeling shot through their left arm when they tried to move it. 

Linkle dashed across the yard and tackled Link into a tight hug. "Thank Hylia you're safe. I thought you were going to get your arm blown off." She looked down and let out a loud gasp. "Oh... Link, your arm... it's..." 

Burned and charred blue fabric revealed the burn on Link's arm. The skin on their arm was dark red and leathery-looking. Just at a glance, Linkle could tell it penetrated deep into the skin. Glimpses of yellow fatty tissue could be seen around the edges of the wound. Link tentatively touched the spot with their right hand, but there was no pain. She started fussing over her friend, trying to remove some of the charred fabric away from the burn. Noelle took one look at it and she immediately looked like she was going to puke.

"I- I'll get the first aid kit," Fern said, voice shaky. He stands slowly before bolting towards the entrance. 

"Are you OK?" Linkle asked softly, trying to gauge the situation. His face was slack, expression completely unreadable. "I'm sorry for your loss..."

"Jami was... and now she..." Rio swayed on his feet, but he didn't fall. "I... I'm sorry guys. I need to take a minute." With that, he hurried out of the yard and back into the lab. The doors shut with a sense of finality that sent a shudder down the Hylian's spines. 

People slowly started to unfreeze. Those who had been attacked by the guardian started to stir slowly. All but the person who was first thrown against the wall. Someone came and picked them up, slinging their arm around their shoulders and slowly started to walk off with them. Where the person once was, a smear of red blood stained the stone. 

_Geeze, I never imagined something so horrible could happen_ _here_. Link frowned. _I wonder why no one's heard a thing about it?_

 _His Highness probably doesn't want mass panic about what the guardians can do to spread_ , Linkle mused. _Still, people deserve to know what these things can do..._

Noelle was shaking like a leaf. Linkle motioned for her to sit next to Link and she did. "God that was... that was absolutely terrifying." She tucked in on herself and stared at the place where the deactivated guardian they were hiding behind was just moments before. "No wonder the royal family wanted to get rid of this stuff. I can't imagine how much power someone could have if they had full control over an army of these things." She shook her head like she was trying to physically dispel the thought. 

More time passes and Linkle eventually gets tired of waiting for Fern to return. "The longer we leave that burn untreated the more likely it is to get infected. Let's just start heading back to the Academy." She stands and extends a hand out to Link, who takes it gratefully. Pins and needles shoot through their arm and they wince and try to brush it off. Just before they reach the doors Fern comes bursting out, carrying a heavy-looking leather case. Noelle almost falls backward in surprise. 

"Sorry that took so long," Fern said. His shoulders were slumped and he looked almost... deflated, just like Rio was. "Where's Rio gone?" 

"I dunno." Noelle shrugged. "He just up and left." 

"Would it kill you to be a little more empathetic?" Linkle snaps, kicking Noelle's shin before turning back to Fern. "Did you see him?"

"Ah yeah. I wanted to talk to him but he snapped at me and kept walking." Fern kept his eyes trained on the ground. "He and Jani were as close as siblings could be, though Jani had the aptitude for research Rio lacked. I- I didn't want him to find out like this." He choked back a sob and Linkle went to reach out to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. 

"Go on, you can let it all out," Linkle murmured softly. She motioned for Noelle and Link to leave before turning her attention back to Fern.

Noelle and Link wandered through the dark halls of the research lab. Their footsteps echoed loudly through the mostly empty halls. Compared to before, the whole lab seemed almost abandoned. They only crossed a few people on their way out. 

"Linkle is so nice," Noelle said suddenly, causing Link to stare at her. "I never know what to do when people are crying."

"She's a very kind person, though she definitely wasn't as open about it in the past," Link muses. A memory surfaced in the front of their mind. "When we were younger she used to tell me how much she hated having to be nice to everyone just because it was expected of her. Still, kindness is in her nature." 

"We've spent enough time messing around. Let's get you to the infirmary." 

* * *

After the incident at the lab, Noelle and Link hurried back to the Academy. She left Link in the care of the head nurse before hurrying off to finish the rest of the day's classes. Linkle returned just before the sun was starting to set. 

"You have a third-degree burn?!" Noelle asked incredulously. "How long is it gonna take before you can spar with me again then?" 

"Of course you're only worried about when you two can fight again." Linkle rolled her eyes at Noelle's impatience. "I'm pretty sure Link's lucky to still _have_ an arm at this point." 

Link laughed and sat up in their bed. The burn had been treated with salve and bandaged and their uniform shirt had been replaced by a loose cotton tunic. Sharp bursts of pain shot through their arm from time to time, but other than that it wasn't bothering them too much. Rio still hadn't returned, however, and it was starting to get dark out. The gates to the Academy would be closing soon enough and Rio would be locked out if he didn't hurry. 

"Still no Rio," Linkle muttered. 

"He'll show up," Link said reassuringly. "Just give him time." 

"Speaking of which-" Noelle held out a finger and pointed it at Linkle "-how'd your conversation with Fern go?" 

"Everyone was pretty shell-shocked from the incident, but Fern told me about Jani. I'm not sure how personal I should get but I think I can give you the gist..." Linkle trailed off and she looked close to tears herself. "He... he blames himself for her death. She and Fern were both a part of the same team messing with the camera rune, the one that can take images, and seeing how they could reproduce them as physical copies. Jani apparently wanted to do something new so Fern recommended she switch over to guardian research since they were short on researchers. The guardian malfunctioned like it did when we were there and she... she died trying to get everyone to safety. It slammed her into the wall and broke her neck." Her eyes were glassy. "I- I didn't even know her but still I..." 

The group sat in silence for a long time. Tears streamed silently down Linkle's cheeks and she made no effort to wipe them away. So much had happened that day it was hard registering it all. First the guardian malfunction and now a death. None of the Hylians ever knew her, but her death still hung over them like a dark shroud. Outside, the final bell tolled, signaling the closing of the gates. Rio was still absent.

A wave of exhaustion washed over Linkle. "I think I'm going to go to bed early tonight if you'll excuse me." She stood abruptly. "Goodnight Link, Noelle." Linkle hurried out of the room before either could say anything else. 

"You think she's gonna be OK?" Noelle asked, staring at where Linkle had once been. "I mean, that's some pretty heavy stuff to be carrying on her shoulders." 

Link thought for a moment. They took a deep inhale and exhale, trying to release the tension in their shoulders. "I... I think she's going to be OK. She'll come around if she needs help. And if not I guess I'll have to pry it out of her." The comment earns a laugh from Noelle. 

Noelle stands and folds her arms. "I think I'm going to try and get in some training. I gotta let off steam somehow. Night Link." 

With everyone gone, Link allowed themself to slump down into the bed. Pain shot through their arm and they tried their best to ignore it. Eventually, they dipped into an uneasy sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Two chapters in 2 days? I know, shocking right?


End file.
